Concept of Academic Advising

NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising is comprised of professional and faculty advisors, administrators, students, and others with a primary interest in the practice of academic advising. With diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, NACADA members advise in a variety of settings and work to promote quality academic advising within their institutions.

In 2005, NACADA President Jo Anne Huber charged a Task Force chaired by past NACADA Presidents Ruth Darling and Eric White to develop an association's statement on academic advising. The work of the Task Force was presented at all 10 NACADA Region Conferences in Spring 2006 and the comments, recommendations, and input from all members were incorporated into the Concept of Academic Advising Statement approved by the Board of Directors in October 2006.

Therefore, the association statement is a result of extensive grassroots member input and involvement. It is the intention of the association to provide a useful document to its constituents, reflecting as many of the current views and philosophies of our members as possible.

The Concept of Advising is produced “for the good of the profession.” When reproducing the Concept [or any part of it] for campus use please include the statement “Reprinted [or Excerpted] with permission from NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising www.nacada.ksu.edu."

PREAMBLE

Academic advising is integral to fulfilling the teaching and learning mission of higher education. Through academic advising, students learn to become members of their higher education community, to think critically about their roles and responsibilities as students, and to prepare to be educated citizens of a democratic society and a global community. Academic advising engages students beyond their own world views, while acknowledging their individual characteristics, values, and motivations as they enter, move through, and exit the institution. Regardless of the diversity of our institutions, our students, our advisors, and our organizational structures, academic advising has three components: curriculum (what advising deals with), pedagogy (how advising does what it does), and student learning outcomes (the result of academic advising).

THE CURRICULUM OF ACADEMIC ADVISING

Academic advising draws primarily from theories in the social sciences, humanities, and education. The curriculum of academic advising ranges from the ideals of higher education to the pragmatics of enrollment. This curriculum includes, but is not limited to, the institution’s mission, culture and expectations; the meaning, value, and interrelationship of the institution’s curriculum and co-curriculum; modes of thinking, learning, and decision-making; the selection of academic programs and courses; the development of life and career goals; campus/community resources, policies, and procedures; and the transferability of skills and knowledge.

THE PEDAGOGY OF ACADEMIC ADVISING

Academic advising, as a teaching and learning process, requires a pedagogy that incorporates the preparation, facilitation, documentation, and assessment of advising interactions. Although the specific methods, strategies, and techniques may vary, the relationship between advisors and students is fundamental and is characterized by mutual respect, trust, and ethical behavior.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES OF ACADEMIC ADVISING

The student learning outcomes of academic advising are guided by an institution’s mission, goals, curriculum and co-curriculum. These outcomes, defined in an advising curriculum, articulate what students will demonstrate, know, value, and do as a result of participating in academic advising. Each institution must develop its own set of student learning outcomes and the methods to assess them. The following is a representative sample. Students will:

craft a coherent educational plan based on assessment of abilities, aspirations, interests, and values

use complex information from various sources to set goals, reach decisions, and achieve those goals

assume responsibility for meeting academic program requirements

articulate the meaning of higher education and the intent of the institution’s curriculum

cultivate the intellectual habits that lead to a lifetime of learning

behave as citizens who engage in the wider world around them

SUMMARY

Academic advising, based in the teaching and learning mission of higher education, is a series of intentional interactions with a curriculum, a pedagogy, and a set of student learning outcomes. Academic advising synthesizes and contextualizes students’ educational experiences within the frameworks of their aspirations, abilities and lives to extend learning beyond campus boundaries and timeframes.

Cite the Concept of Academic Advising using APA style as:

NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising. (2006). NACADA concept of academic advising. Retrieved from https://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Pillars/Concept.aspx

About NACADA

NACADA promotes and supports quality academic advising in institutions of higher education to enhance the educational development of students. NACADA provides a forum for discussion, debate, and the exchange of ideas pertaining to academic advising through numerous activities and publications. NACADA also serves as an advocate for effective academic advising by providing a Consulting and Speaker Service and funding for Research related to academic advising.